title: Meningitis and bacteraemia due to Listeria monocytogenes in compromised hosts.
abstract: The clinical history of 3 adult patients infected by Listeria monocytogenes is presented. One patient with chronic lymphatic leukaemia developed purulent meningitis; the 2 others had chronic renal failure and were undergoing routine haemodialysis. Of the latter, one developed meningitis and the other bacteraemia after receiving 2 blood transfusions. Immuno-suppression, or the underlying disease of the hosts, probably played a role in permitting the infection to establish itself. The rural environment may also have been conducive to the transfer of this particular, rarely infectious, micro-organism to these patients.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000150:complications; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008584:Meningitis, Listeria / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*